A kunai knife sliced through the air and landed in a hollow tree with a thud. The ninja tool left an angry gash where Kurt Hummel had aimed it. Kurt laughed at the irony of it. He's been the victim of many slashes and wounds by people he's never hurt, and now he was doing the same to the tree. He walked over to the tree, leaves crunching as he walked, and retrieved the small sickle. He let the temperate air of the Hidden Leaf Village wash over him. Kurt shoved the kunai into his teal weapon pouch strapped to his leg and wiped a few small beads of sweat off his brow. Kurt smiled at a few bees buzzing around each other before turning back on the path to the village. He realized he was walking with a kick in his step and grinned wider. Kurt stopped to take a breath and continued on to the Ninja Academy. The warm air made Kurt feel like he was floating. He was so ready to become a Genin, a beginning ninja. The exams had been excruciatingly hard, especially for someone like him-but he had an ace up his sleeve. Kurt spent weeks, maybe even months trying to perfect the jutsu. The other kids his year had been so surprised that Kurt of all people could do a Kage Bunshin. It was a simple jutsu and Kurt had a bittersweet time learning it. Although he was immensely happy he could create clones of himself that could fight and hold their own, Kurt wished he would've learned it sooner, to be able to fight back.

Kurt wasn't like normal ninja. He got picked on, teased, and shunned for something that was completely out of his control. And only a tiny bit was because he was gay. People didn't really care about that here. No, it was because sixteen years ago the former Hokage sealed the Nine Tailed Fox Spirit that was rampaging against his village, inside him at birth. Kurt absently touched his stomach. Underneath the light, flexible clothing was a seal. A Nine Pronged Seal that kept the demon inside him, sharing his body. He scowled at the thought. Upon sealing the demon inside him, not only did it ruin his life, his mortality, but it also killed his mother near-instantly. Kurt felt his eyes tearing up and instantly willed them to stop. Shinobi don't show emotion to the enemy. It only makes room for failure and weakness. Kurt finally arrived at the Leaf Village gate, a tall magnificent structure that stretched all around Konoha. Its red painting never chipped, and the talismans hanging from the gate kept out wandering spirits, or so Kurt was told. Kurt entered the village tentatively. He'd gotten used to the stares and sneers, but they still shook him every once in a while. He sighed and held his head high. In less than twenty-four hours he was going to finally be a Shinobi. As Kurt was daydreaming about his new squad and teacher, he didn't see the small man running into him with a hand full of melons.

"Watch where you're going!" The small man spat while picking up his melons. A few of the green fruits were bruised rather harshly, Kurt immediately drowned in a wave of guilt.

"I'm so sorry!" Kurt gushed, "I didn't even see you." He reached to pick up the fallen melons, but the man stuck out a hand and blocked his gesture.

"I don't need any help from you!" The small man spat. By this time the man already had all of his melons back in his hands. "Stay away from me!" He yelled again and ran off cursing loudly.

Kurt stood there for a good minute, twisting his fingers together. The tears that were threatening to fall from earlier came spilling down his face in a clear, bitter stream. His day was ruined. He didn't know why people treated him like this, he didn't ask for this demon to be sealed inside him. The worst part of it all, for Kurt, was that he couldn't figure out any way to be mad at any of the villagers for treating him this way. He hated himself, why shouldn't everyone else?

No one was ever going to love me anyway, He thought to himself.

Kurt rounded the corner and smiled despite himself when his eyes set upon a small ramen shop. He pushed aside the white curtains scrawled with red kanji on them, and took a seat at one of the bar stools.

"Hey kiddo," Burt said sliding him a steamy bowl of ramen. "Training go well?"

Kurt was too busy inhaling the mouth-watering scent of the ramen in front of him to answer. The golden ramen noodles were glazed in broth, and around the edges of the ceramic bowl were neatly sliced meats. Kurt almost forgot his 'dad' asked him a question as he broke apart the chopsticks.

"Oh, yeah, it was great." Kurt answered honestly, mouth full of noodles.

Burt was silent and the small shop was filled with the sound of Kurt's slurping.

Kurt really loved Burt, if anything he was the only father figure he had. He even stood up for him in the middle of one of his weekly beatings. Kurt was six, crumpled on the ground. His nose was bleeding and he had a few bruises on his face. Kurt was about to just lay there and take the beating like he normally did when Burt showed up. He had a wisp in is hand and yelled at the kids to scram. He then took Kurt home, hand in hand, and made him a bed. He even got his own room. Kurt had fallen into the habit of calling Burt 'dad', and every time he did Burt beamed with pride.

"Are you excited?" Burt finally asked hiding a smile, full well already knowing the answer.

Kurt dropped his empty ramen bowl and jumped out of his seat.

"Of course I'm excited!" Kurt beamed with anticipation. "After almost sixteen years of taking all this pain I can finally fight back! I can finally show all these ninja I'm someone to be proud of-not to fear."

Burt stopped cleaning Kurt's bowl. He ran around the counter and pulled his son in a bear hug.

"I'm so proud of you."

Kurt felt Burt crying into his collar.

"You really are strong; don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You have The Will of Fire; it's only passed on through the strongest ninja. You're unstoppable, Kurt."

Kurt felt his own face tearing up.

"All I want… Is to be accepted."

Burt let go of his son and nodded. "Even if the ninja there don't accept you, I will, forever."

Kurt nodded and wiped his eyes. Deep in his heart he knew, that's all he needed.

She set her eyeliner down on her white vanity. She examined her eyes and her cheeks, rotating her face slowly, as to make sure she didn't miss anything. She smiled, after putting on a fresh coat of cherry lip gloss. She went to her closet and pulled out a pure white kimono that stopped at the knee. She slipped into it, and pulled it flush against her petite body with a pink ribbon, tied in a vibrant bow in the back. She sighed in happiness and pulled on white heels. She was so close to being perfect, yet so far.

"Quinnie!" Her mother called. "Are you almost ready? Everyone's antsy to start!"

"I'll be out in a second mother!" She called down her spiral staircase.

Quinn walked back into her room. Clothes spilled all over the polished wooden floor. She tied her blonde hair back with a single ribbon after curling it, and walked down the stairs slowly.

The whole crowd of family and friends went up in a roar. Quinn smiled and hugged a few relatives that came to meet her. Her mom placed her hand on the small of Quinn's back and ushered her to the table. Quinn sat, placing her knees under her. She then folded her hands gingerly in her lap. She paused before giving another big smile to her mother. Her mother clapped and brushed her short blonde hair, a shade darker than her own, out of her face before leaning down and giving Quinn a kiss on the cheek. Quinn smiled after her mother and closed her eyes. She let out a nervous breath. Despite the air of confidence she puts up in front of her family, Quinn really was nervous. She was nervous to please her very strict father. She was nervous to be a good Kunoichi. She was afraid that nobody would like her. Oh not that she hasn't been able to manipulate people with her charming smile and looks before, but this was the battlefield. Not the prom.

Eventually her mother came out with a bottle of sake followed by her father. Father was noticeably taller than her mother, broad, stiff, business-like shoulders that told you not to make him mad. Quinn smiled despite herself, and got a low grunt in return from him. She turned back to the kotatsu that was now warming her feet. The warmth was greatly welcomed after the cold recognition from her father.

"Ok everyone, please settle down." Her mother said gripping the sake bottle with both hands. "This is Quinnie's special night, so let's not ruin it for her!" she gave a nervous laugh and the crowd joined her. Quinn smiled, halfheartedly, although her parents didn't know that.

Quinn got out from under the kotatsu instantly wishing she had the heat back and stood in the middle of the crowd. The train of her kimono was dragging elegantly; making her look as if she was getting ready for the altar. Quinn bowed her head, her curly blond ponytail resting on her collarbone. "Thank you all so much. I never thought this many people cared about me becoming a Genin." She knew what she said was a lie. Her parents, or mother at least, would care if she chose a different ribbon than she usually wears.

"Nonsense, Quinn." Her father said matter-of-factly. "You're are only daughter, we expect you to be nothing less than perfect."

Quinn knew what her father said was supposed to be reassuring, but it left her with a lump in her chest.

"Thank you, father," she said smiling. "I'm so grateful to have your blessing."

Her mother came by and kissed her forehead.

"Oh to think," Her mother started, "soon I'll be able to teach you the family jutsu. There are so many techniques we can share! It can be like… mother-daughter bonding time!" She said finally.

Quinn smiled and hugged her mom. "I'd like that." She said honestly, laughing at her mother's choice of words. Her father led the Fabray clan into the dining room, the sound of shuffling shoes and clothes filled the air as they all sat down gingerly around the table.

"Let us toast," Her father said with finality, "To the greatest daughter in all of Konoha."

The room went up in roars. Quinn blushed and took the wineglass filled with sake and placed her slim fingers on the stem. "Thank you all so much." Quinn turned around and looked at all the eyes in the room. She got a boost of confidence in seeing all the eyes filled with envy and admiration.

"Cheers!" her mother finally shouted and the Fabray house was filled with the clanking of glasses, and sloppy laughter.

Nobody else noticed the crack of lightning that grazed the Hidden Leaf Village's sky, leaving an angry rumble of thunder to crash through the air a few seconds later. Nobody else noticed the loneliness in Blaine's honey colored eyes every time he saw families skipping along the playgrounds and stone paths when he walked by. Blaine closed his eyes and tried to get a grip. Ninja's never show their emotions, technically their only weakness. And surely his brother never would. His stomach went hot and his head felt fuzzy as soon as he thought of his brother. Blaine's apparently beloved brother, who in turn, killed his whole family, annihilated them in one night leaving Blaine to fend for himself in this cruel, blood soaked world. This wasn't the first time he'd thought of that horrible night several years ago. His mind eventually formed the same question, that's been haunting him for his whole adolescent life.

Why did he spare me?

Blaine turned over on his bed, hand fisting the cool underside of his pillow as he wept silently. He missed the loving strokes his mom gave him through his soft, curly hair every time she passed him. He missed the light sparring with his father in the summery wood. But most of all, which was the most sickening, he missed the way his brother loved him before that night. His brother was his best friend, the only person he trusted with his life. Blaine let out a bitter laugh. He could trust him with his life, considering he was the only Uchiha who wasn't killed. Blaine let his mind wander to the highly anticipated morning, the day he becomes a Genin. He let out a genuine smile; it felt like he hasn't smiled in years. He was going to prove to his brother he was worth sparing, for whatever reason that was. The Uchiha clan was regarded for their amazing talent and legendary doujustu the Sharingan. Blaine still doesn't know all the secrets to their seeing jutsu, but he knows once it awakens he'll be seeing the world with a new set of eyes-literally.

Blaine was excited for tomorrow. He secretly loved the Ninja Academy because he could get attention from adults. He doubted they actually cared for him, but they all knew about his family situation and were always nice when he was feeling particularly down. His only regret was his attitude. Blaine was normally a nice, dapper guy. But he has to put up walls around the other ninja. If anyone ever saw him vulnerable, he would never live it down. Blaine Uchiha was not pathetic; he didn't need to be patronized by the other kids' mothers' kind words when he knew he would never have one again. He was going to shine tomorrow. He was going to shine so well that the other Shinobi felt useless. He couldn't save his family but he could get stronger. Blaine was going to get his revenge. He didn't know when, but he was going to make sure his brother felt every bit of pain that has been festering inside his heart for the past 8 years.

But the worst part was that he knew no one would ever love him again. And he couldn't get revenge for that.

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